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"'Webster Township Votes to Save Land"

Ecology Center Helps Campaign Win 69% YES Approval

August/September Issue, 2005

On August 2, Webster Township voters came out in record numbers to tax themselves -- in order to preserve their farms and their community’s rural character. The township became the third Washtenaw County community located in the Ann Arbor Greenbelt District to create its own source of local matching funds for land preservation. Many observers, however, think the Webster vote is the most surprising -- and most telling -- victory yet by the coalition of environmentalists, farm activists, and community leaders who’ve been fighting to save land in southeastern Michigan.

Ecology Center Director Mike Garfield consulted with the Committee to Protect Webster campaign, which grew out of several controversies over major development proposals. The Protect Webster campaign overcame their Township Board’s opposition to a land preservation millage by offering to campaign for the Board’s public safety and general fund proposals – which had been defeated in previous elections -- in exchange for an opportunity to vote on land preservation. The Board agreed, and three millage proposals confronted the usually anti-tax township voters at the August poll.

The Protect Webster campaign, headed by Ella Dunajsky, Ross Martin, and Steve Bemis, waged a thorough and persuasive door-to-door and direct mail campaign, arguing that the millages would protect Webster from overdevelopment, while saving township residents from the future larger tax burden that new development inevitably brings. The community responded in dramatic fashion. The election drew a record 30% turnout -- in August, with nothing else on the ballot!-- and the land preservationmillage led the way, with a 69% YES vote. The other two proposals were also approved but by lesser margins. The 0.5-mill land levy will generate almost $1 million over five years, and can leverage matching funds from the Ann Arbor Greenbelt Program and other sources.

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